Lawn sprinkler



Aug- 14, 1951 c. H. cuPPETT ETAL 2,564,639 f LAWN SPRINKLER 3Sheets-Shea?l 1 Filed Aug. 30, 1946 Aug 14 1951 c. H. CUPPETT ErAL2,564,639

LAWN SPRINKLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fl'iled Aug. 30, 1946 Ilma "v/"wss 57Gttorneg Aug. 14, 1951 c. H. cUPPETT ETAL 2,564,639

` LAWN SPRINKLER Filed Aug. 30, 194e- 3 sheets-Sheet 3 II l I il -wfGttorneg Patented Aug. 14, 1951 LAWN- SPRINKLEB Charles H. Cuppett,Butler, N. J and 301m Taylor, Eronxville, N. Y.

Application August 30, 194,6-, Serial No. 694,032

2 Clai'ms.

This invention relates to lawn sprinklers and has, for its principalobject, the distribution of a spray of Water over a square orrectangular area, with the sprinkler in the center thereof.

Another object is to provide, in a sprinkler, a pair of arms extendingfrom the center vthereof with the ability to oscillate in a verticalplane under the reaction of the pressure by which water is alternatelyforced from the ends oi' such arms.

Still another object is to furnish a sprinkler head from which water isdistributed in the form of a v-shaped spray.

A further object is to provide a sprinkler composed of a minimum numberofi simple parts,

easy to adjust and maintain, and operablev under low water pressures.

Other objects will appear in the description which follows.

Heretofore, most lawn sprinklers operated by the use of the pressure ofthe water flowing through them, have moving. arms. that travel in ahorizontal plane, or in the plane of the surface of a cone,distributing. water over a circular area or over a segment of a circulararea.

Those that distribute water by casting it in a vertical plane accomplishtheir performance only with a number of complex, moving parts- None hassucceeded in producing a practical device with distributor armsoscillatingy in a. vertical plane solely by utilization of the reaction.prin.- ciple.

Our invention utilizes the reactionof the water emitting from thenozzles or sprinkler heads to cause a controlled oscillating movementof. dis.- tributor arms in a vertical plana It does this with a few,compactly nested simple parts en.- closed so as to be free fromexternal. iniluences and unnecessary wear. To achieve positive. action,even with relatively low water pressures, it incorporates ananti-friction element. between the principal stationary and moving partsto assist in the smooth functioning of the device.

Our invention is illustrated in the. accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric View of our preferred form of sprinkler readyfor. operation,

Figure 2 is a. side elevational. section of our preferred construction,without the base or base-attaching meansl Figure 3 is a frontelevational view of the valve casing. of Figure 2, withr cover plateremoved.

Figure 4 isa front. elevational view ci` an alternate valve. casing andvalve construction. with cover plate removed.

Figure 5 is a front elevational View of another 2*.. alternate valvecasing. and. valve construction, with cover plate removed, showingemployment of.' two valves tripped by appropriate projecting arms..

Figure 6 isa side elevational View of the casingv and valveconstructionV shown. in. Figure 5.

Figure '7. a front. elevational view, cover plate removed, of two valveslinked in such a manner that. alternate opening'. and' closing isaccomplished..

Figure 8.- is a. front. elevational view of still another alternatevalvecasing, and springv closed valve. with cover plate removed Figure 9 isa. side. elevational section of the casing and valve shown in Figure 8.

Figure.V 10 is a. sidev elevational section. of the sprayer headillustrated in Figure l.

Figure 11' is a front elevational View of an alternate type of sprayerYhead. n

Figure l2 is a front elevational view of a sprayerr tube that can. beused instead of the sprayer. head shown in Figures and. 1l.

Figure 13 a cross-sectionJ of the tube illustratedl in Figure 12'..

Referring. to the drawings. in which similar numbers identify the sameor similar parts throughout the. various views, construction is asfollows Referringv to Figure. 1 spindle 4,. about which valve.y casingl` oscillates.. is. supported upon a suitable base 2?. The base shown isof the sled type to. facilitate moving the sprinkler about,v merely bypulling hose 2 i' which is-connectedwith spindle 4 by female hoseconnection 1.. Base. 29 is made of sufficient weight and Widthto hold.the sprinkler in position, even while it is under the.V influence of theoscillating.' motion of its moving parts. Arms I'B project from valvecasing. l andthe action o water which. ows out of sprinkler heads 22,.through opening in. suchy heads, which. substantially face each other,imparts the oscillating movement..

Referring toY Figures 2- and. 3, it will. be seen that spindle. 4projects through valve casing L, the. casingv being rotatably secured.thereto by stufiingnut. 5,. packing washer 6 and spindle sleeve 8. Theopen end` of the piece which. comprises valve casing4 L" is closed bycover Z and held thereon with cover screws 3. Within valve casing I. isvalve [3 which consists of a sleeve irse to rotate with certainlimitations within body I'. This valve has, in one portion of. itsperiphery, a valve slot l5 which is of such length that when it permitsfree, uninterrupted passage ofA water from the interior of; valvecasing. l to one arm 3 I8, it does not extend far enough to do so to theother arm I6. Opposite valve slot I are located stops I4 which areraised sufficiently above the interior surface of valve I3 to be engagedalternately with valve operating rod 9 as the valve moves. Valveoperating rod 9 is a fixed rod projecting downward from the spindlesleeve 8. Surrounding the end of spindle 4 is spindle sleeve 8 which, inour construction, we have shown conveniently fixed to spindle 4 by meansof valve operating rod 9, which is threaded to be engaged with spindlesleeve 8 and pass through the same and be engaged against the surface ofspindlev 4, thus firmly securing it.

Arms I6 may be attached in any manner, the illustration in Figure 3showing them threaded to the valve casing and locked thereon by locknuts I1.

The sprinkler operates when water passes out of the end of spindle 4into the cavity of valve casing I and thence through valve slot I5 intoand through arm I6 and thence out through sprinkler head 22. Uponleaving the opening of sprinkler head 22, the reaction of the wateragainst the rear of such head causes arm I6 to move away from thedirection in which the water is being sprayed. In so moving, it carrieswith 1t valve casing I and valve I3, until valve I3 is stopped in itsmotion by stop I4 striking the valve operating rod 9. With Valve I3motionless, valve casing I continues to move and in so doing closes theopening into the arm I6 through which the Water was passing andpositions valve slot I5 opposite the other arm I6. By thus alternatelychanging the flow of water from one arm to the other, the oscillatingmotion is produced and the sprinkler remains in continuous operation aslong as water is supplied to it.

In our experiments, we have found that the Y introduction of Water underpressure into devices of this kind tends to cause binding of thestationary and moving parts, due to the water pressure which tends toforce the casing away from the spindle. Thus in the present constructionwater under pressure in the cavity of valve casing I causes somedistortion and tends, with the usual attaching features, to bind casingI to spindle 4. To permit the use of relatively low water pressures byreducing the friction between the casing and spindle, We have introducedan anti-friction member, one form of which is shown in Figure 2, whichconsists of two washers I2 between which ball retaining ring II andthree balls I0 are contained. The thrust of the water pressure againstcover 2, with its resulting increase in friction, is thus minimized byinterposing this anti-friction device between spindle sleeve 8 and therear inner face of valve casing I.

In order to provide for continuous operation, it is necessary to soposition arms I6 that body I does not come to rest at any time on deadcenter. Utilizing the effect of gravity, it has been found that byseparating these arms from 95 to 105 and properly positioning the valveelements that this condition can be avoided and the ports to arms I6will never, in normal operation, be partially open at the same time.

Various types of valve construction may be employed, not only to securerefinements in operation but to accomplish the same results. Figure 4shows another type in which sleeve 50 instead of as valve 8 as a sleevein valve casing I, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, is mounted on spindle 4.This sleeve alternately opens and closes the openings to arms I6 bymeans of valves I9. The sleeve 50 moves about spindle 4 within the limitof motion prescribed by rod 23, projecting through slot 33 in suchvalve. When rod 23 stops and holds sleeve 50 motionless, continuedmovement of valve casing I closes seat I8 on valve I9 and seals off armI6. Alternate passage or water from one arm I6 to another is thusprovided in order to activate and keep the oscillation continuous.

In Figures 5 and 6, valves 24, designed to close the openings into armsI6, are provided on pins 25 which in turn are secured to valve casing I.Fixed to spindle 4 are two stationary trip arms 26 and stationary vanes34. In this construction the water does not issue only out of the end ofspindle 4 but through the openings 55 in its sides. Attached tocover 2is damping member 5| that sweeps through the arc limited by vanes 34 asthe valve casing oscillates, A throttled opening 53 is provided inmember` 5I to regulate the passage of water through it.

Valves 24 are alternately opened and closed as they are carried pasttrip arm 26 or against vane 34. Spring clips 56 hold valves 24 in anopen position until vane 34 contacts the outer leaf of the valve andcloses it. Water which is pocketed in the lower portion of valve casingbetween vanes 34 dampens the oscillation of the valve casing byretarding the movement of damping member 5I through it. Slots 52 in theinner surface of casing I are sized and spaced to control the dampingeffect at various stages in the oscillation cycle. Adjusting screw 51 indamping member 5I permits adjustment of the size of opening 53.

Figure 7 discloses a linkage system for alternately opening and closingthe opening into arms I6. Valves 35 are pivoted on pins 25 secured tovalve casing I. Also attached to this casing is gear segment 36 meshingwith gear teeth 31 of valves 35. Stops 38 affixed to spindle 4 not onlylimit the movement of valve casing I but partially rotate gear segment36 and simultaneously close one port and open the other.

A damping effect is secured by construction similar to that shown inFigures 5 and 6.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a type of spring activated valveconstruction. It is recognized where it is not desired to position thearms to avoid a dead center condition, or where use of the sprinkler onsloping ground is intended, that positive means must be provided toprevent the stoppage of the parts so that a partial opening into botharms I6, exists at the same time. We have employed a spring to be usedin conjunction with our basic principle to give such positive means.

In Figures 8 and 9, coiled spring 21 is anchored to spindle sleeve 8 bypins 38 and to valve I3 by pin 39, and lies between studs 40 whichproject through cover 2. The valve mechanism acts as described for theconstruction shown in Figures 2 and 3, but as the valve casing Iapproaches the limit of movement in either direction the spring iselongated and put under tension. When valve I3 is stopped by strikingvalve operating rod 9, the energy built up in spring 21 acts on valve I3to reverse its movement and quickly shut off the opening to armSprinkler head 22, shown in Figure 10, permits water to emerge in theform of a spray through slotted bell-mouthed opening 28. The shape ofthe opening determines the Width and breadth of the spray.

.An alternate type of sprinkler head is one shown in Figure 11 in whichsprinkler head 29 is perforated with holes 30 which may be disposed togive the desired spray of substantially uniform density.

Instead of a sprinkler head, it is also possible to use a sprayer tube3| as shown in Figure 12. In the use of such a sprayer tube, holes 3|must be positioned and sized so as to furnish a spray of uniformdensity. These holesinear the extremities of the tube are of largerdiameter than those nearer the center, in order to cornpensate for thepressure drop along the length of the sprayer tube. By shaping thesprayer tube, as best shown in Figure 13, the holes 32 will havesufficient depth to impart direction to the stream of water issuingtherefrom.

It is apparent that many modications of our invention may be made. Theforegoing description is intended to be illustrative only, and in no waylimiting upon the scope of our invention.

What we claim is: x

1. A sprinkler comprising, a hollow open ended spindle supportedhorizontally and projecting into a rotatable -valve casing, said valvecasing opening into hollow radial arms projecting therefrom in asubstantially vertical plane and at an angle of from 95 to 105 degreesto each other, members aixed to the ends of said arms with outletsfacing to each other, valve members interposed between said spindle andvalve casing operable by the reaction of water emitting from the spraymember to alternately open and close the entrance ports -into saidhollow radial arms, and

anti-friction means disposed in a vertical plane between opposingbearing surfaces of the spindle and the valve casing.

2. In a lawn sprinkler a water reaction Ydirection reversing valvemechanism comprising a hollow, horizontal spindle opening into a valvecasing rotatably mounted thereon, ports in said valve casing connectingwith hollow radial arms, valve members interposed between the spindleand the valve casing, means for alternately opening and closing saidports according as the valve casing is in one or the other of twopositions, and a restrained spring, connecting the fixed with the movingparts, adapted to accelerate the reversal of direction of the movablevalve members.

CHARLES H. CUPPETT. JOHN TAYLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 846,426 Rhodes et al Mar. 5, 19071,144,070 Schneider June 22, 1915 1,155,115 Watson Sept. 28, 19151,558,355 Hart Oct. 20, 1925 1,599,411 Gilsenan Sept. 14, 1926 1,809,999Wier June 16, 1931 2,022,396 Wiederhold Nov. 26, 1935 2,032,369Kilpatrick Mar. 3, 1936 2,087,175 Voight July 13, 1937

